The CTO Playbook

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!"Most CTOs spend all their time chasing rabbits—and miss the real future right in front of them."In this sharp, no-fluff episode, Adam cuts through the chaos CTOs face daily and reveals the underrated superpower every tech leader must develop: strategic foresight. Forget firefighting and sprint planning—this is about learning to think deeply and see the horizon others can’t. Adam shares why boredom (yes, boredom) might be your secret weapon for unlocking creativity and how slowing down can give you the attitude needed to lead confidently instead of just managing crises. You’ll get a clear three-step playbook to zoom out beyond the immediate, create deliberate mental space, and build a network that challenges your perspective. If you’re ready to escape the cycle of reactive firefighting and step into real leadership, this episode will push you to rethink what it means to lead technology—and how to spot the future before it’s obvious to anyone else.You’ll Learn:How strategic foresight shifts CTO leadership from reactive to visionaryWhy boredom can unlock breakthrough creativity and clear thinkingHow to create mental space for insight in a nonstop, distraction-heavy worldWhat the loneliness of leadership really means—and how to handle itHow to spot hidden risks and opportunities before they become urgent problemsWhy zooming out beyond the quarter accelerates better decision-makingHow to build a support network that challenges your perspective and expands your thinkingWhat deliberate stillness in your schedule does for creative problem-solvingHow small early mitigations prepare you for future challenges without wasting resourcesWhy acting with conviction on unseen signals separates leaders from managersTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[00:20] Why CTOs need to prioritize strategic thinking[01:30] The loneliness of seeing the future before others[03:00] Overview of the CTO playbook coaching programs[04:10] Analogy of terriers chasing rabbits to explain reactive behavior[05:10] Why CTOs get stuck solving immediate problems instead of leading[06:00] The value of seeing what others don’t yet see[07:00] Example of cascading impacts from a tech stack decision[08:00] How thinking several steps ahead expands perspective[09:00] Why being ahead of the curve can feel isolating[10:00] Personal story about early career risks and mitigations[11:00] Importance of finding a thinking partner or mentor[12:00] How natural abstraction helps in leadership altitude[13:00] The power of stillness and boredom for creative insight[14:00] Example of deliberate boredom sparking creativity in kids[15:00] How adults avoid boredom and lose creative moments[16:00] Using walks and notebooks to capture ideas without distractions[17:00] Integrating stillness into calendars as a priorityFind more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!What if the most complex part of your backend system... just vanished?In this episode, Adam sits down with Maxim Fateev, CTO and co-founder of Temporal, a platform quietly revolutionizing how distributed systems are built at companies like Stripe, Snap, and Netflix. With a career spanning Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Uber, Maxim brings a rare, battle-tested perspective to the chaos of modern infrastructure.This conversation unpacks why the old way of building event-driven systems is fundamentally broken—and how Temporal’s concept of durable execution makes reliability and scale feel effortless. You’ll learn why your devs are wasting thousands of hours on boilerplate, how workflows are being redefined by AI, and why most “modern” architectures are really just legacy spaghetti in disguise. If you care about developer velocity, rock-solid uptime, or building tech that doesn’t implode at scale, this one’s a must-listen.You’ll Learn:How durable execution eliminates retries, race conditions, and orchestration chaosWhy event-driven systems create hidden coupling—and how to break itHow Amazon’s early monolith shaped a new paradigm for backend scaleWhat makes step functions a step backwards in modern architectureHow to write workflows that survive failures, restarts, and region-wide outagesWhy most business logic doesn’t need YAML, queues, or 12 microservicesHow to scale from prototype to production without rewriting core systemsWhat AI agents reveal about the future of workflow orchestrationHow Temporal boosts developer productivity by 5–10x in real-world teamsWhy durable execution is becoming the backbone of enterprise AI systemsTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[00:37] Why durable execution matters in distributed systems[03:36] The pain of monoliths and the shift to microservices[05:19] Why events create tight coupling in architecture[07:00] Amazon’s early attempt at workflow orchestration[07:50] Why AWS step functions fall short[09:08] How durable execution actually works[10:44] Open-source vs cloud-hosted Temporal[12:48] Multi-region replication and total uptime[13:58] Write workflows in code, not configs[15:50] Is Temporal just for big companies?[16:37] 5–10x productivity gains with durable execution[18:26] Durable execution as a new middleware layer[20:03] Replacing bloated cloud architecture with one function[21:10] When not to use Temporal[23:03] Netflix’s switch from Spinnaker to Temporal[24:15] Language support and runtime challenges[25:03] New features: priority queues and fairness[26:36] Nexus: long-running RPC calls with full durability[28:34] Getting started with Temporal[30:19] Why Max stepped down as CEO[32:14] Durable execution powering AI workloads[35:18] Why AI agents need orchestration[37:03] Saving state between agent calls[39:34] Durable execution vs traditional AI workflowsResources Mentioned:Amazon Simple Workflow Service | WebsiteAWS Step Functions | WebsiteTemporal (Open Source) | WebsiteTemporal Documentation and Courses | WebsiteAzure Durable Functions | WebsiteTemporal Slack Community | WebsiteIf you want to learn more about Max’s work, follow him on LinkedIn.Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!Most CEOs hire the wrong CTO—not because of a talent shortage, but because they don't know what they're actually looking for.In this episode, Adam sits down with returning guest Warren Beazley—known across the UK tech scene as The CTO Recruiter. With nearly 30 years in the industry and a track record of 96%+ retention rates, Warren specializes in helping founder-led and investor-backed companies make one of the most pivotal hires in their org: a world-class CTO.You’ll learn why most CTO searches fail before they begin, how top CEOs are quietly mapping their talent pipelines long before they’re hiring, and the exact behavioral tools Warren uses to identify true leadership fit—not just technical skill. Whether you’re a CEO hiring your first tech exec or a CTO positioning yourself for your next role, this episode reveals how high-stakes technical hiring actually works behind the scenes. Expect sharp insights on filtering through noise, diagnosing culture clashes before they happen, and why gut instinct is no longer enough.You’ll Learn:How elite CEOs reverse-engineer their CTO hires for long-term fitWhy mapping your talent market beats relying on inbound candidatesHow Warren’s “12-month success review” technique clarifies role expectationsWhat most CEOs get wrong about job specs—and how to fix itHow behavioral surveys predict executive compatibility before it’s too lateHow to test for strategic thinking without asking cliché interview questionsWhat to do when you’re not the candidate’s first choice—and how to tellHow to spot red flags in resumes that even experienced recruiters missWhy most hiring failures aren’t about skills—they’re about culture mismatchesTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[00:37] Why the CTO hiring market is still tough in 2025[05:07] What makes hiring CTOs more like poker than chess[07:15] The difference between founder-led vs investor-led hiring[10:18] Why great CEOs pivot and redefine their own role[12:16] Why most companies don’t know who their top candidates are[14:03] Employed vs. unemployed CTO hiring strategy[15:00] How to pitch your company to elite CTOs[16:13] Why money isn’t the main motivator for great candidates[17:41] The “12-month success review” for defining your ideal hire[20:00] Why job ads fail and how to create story-driven ones[22:03] Mapping the market to uncover passive candidates[25:00] The challenge of filtering hundreds of resumes[27:00] How structured interviews speed up good hiring[29:16] What your resume should reveal—but probably doesn’t[31:14] Culture and compatibility: the real reasons hires fail[33:00] How behavioral surveys predict long-term fit[36:03] Using personality data to shape interview questions[38:06] Why a 3-day decision window makes or breaks offers[40:01] Setting salary expectations early to avoid breakdowns[42:15] Open feedback channels that improve CTO retention[45:03] What really happens when a great hire walks awayYou can learn more about Warren's work on his website. or you can book a FREE 10 Minute call to understand if his hiring blueprint would work for you.Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!What if the part of you causing burnout is the same one that got you where you are?In this episode, Adam sits down with Rob Kalwarowsky—executive coach, TEDx speaker, and author of Capitalizing on Chaos—to explore how high performers can stop white-knuckling their leadership journey and start transforming from within. Rob has helped tech execs and founders all over the world how to fast-track deep change through his FIRE method, a unique four-step framework that rewires how we lead, scale, and relate to chaos itself.If you’ve ever looked “successful” on the outside while feeling stuck, burned out, or quietly miserable on the inside, this conversation will hit home. You’ll hear Rob’s deeply personal journey from MIT engineer to global coach, how internal family systems reshaped his leadership philosophy, and why chaos might be the exact catalyst you need. Expect mindset rewiring, counterintuitive truth bombs, and tools to break through the next ceiling in your growth.This one’s not just about business. It’s about the human behind the title.You’ll Learn:How Rob’s FIRE method rewires leadership by turning inner chaos into strategic clarityWhy imposter syndrome signals deeper misalignment, not personal failureWhat Internal Family Systems reveals about the voices that shape executive behaviorHow high achievers unknowingly sabotage themselves by clinging to “productive” masksWhy logical self-talk fails—and what actually works to shift emotional patternsWhat guilt and overachievement often hide in leadership dynamicsHow emotional check-ins create trust and coherence in your inner teamWhy leaning into chaos can unlock innovation, not just survivalHow to evolve your leadership identity without losing your edgeTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[06:13] The cost of a “perfect” life[08:42] The role of coaching and therapy in real growth[11:41] What Internal Family Systems therapy reveals[13:21] Why mindset hacks don’t solve deep issues[15:11] Even destructive inner voices have a purpose[16:27] Rob’s 6-minute self-leadership exercise[16:53] Step 1 of the FIRE method: find your reason[17:32] Step 2: ignite the masks and uncover inner blocks[21:56] Step 3: rapidly transform your identity[25:04] Step 4: expand and evolve your leadership[26:17] Why fear shuts down innovation[28:00] How to lead teams through disruption[30:10] Chaos opens new possibilities for growth[31:33] Summary of the FIRE method[32:57] The importance of guided transformation[35:55] Why leadership growth is deeply personalResources Mentioned:How to Handle a Bad Boss | TEDx TalkSaboteur Assessment | WebsiteInternal Family Systems by Dr. Richard Schwartz | WebsiteMovie: Inside OutIf you want the first 2 chapters of Capitalizing on Chaos for FREE, sign up for Robs newsletter!Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!Ever wondered what it really takes to produce a high-quality tech podcast from scratch—while wrangling kids, late nights, and a studio in your basement?In this rare behind-the-scenes solo episode of The CTO Playbook, Adam pulls back the curtain on the exact gear, workflows, and production team that bring each episode to life. You’ll get a candid tour of his setup—from boom mics and soundproofing hacks to lighting rigs, software automation, and the husband-and-wife editing duo who shape the final sound. Whether you're a tech leader curious about content creation, or just a gear nerd wondering how to level up your own audio-video presence, this episode delivers a crisp, tactical walkthrough of what goes into building a professional podcast from the ground up.You’ll Learn:How low-tech soundproofing methods can dramatically boost audio qualityWhy lighting—not camera quality—is the secret weapon for pro-looking videoWhat Adam’s minimalist mic and soundboard setup reveals about smart gear investmentHow in-ear monitors solve a hidden distraction problem in podcastingHow to repurpose MIDI buttons and OBS for seamless video scene controlWhat behind-the-scenes editing reveals about capturing a guest’s true voiceHow a modular, portable gear setup enables studio-quality content on the roadWhy recording late at night might be your best move for consistency and clarityHow to transform a standing desk into a high-performance media stationWhat working with a small production team unlocks in creativity and output qualityTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[00:25] Purpose of this behind-the-scenes episode[01:27] Who produces the podcast[02:19] Why episodes are recorded at night[03:00] Microphone and audio gear overview[04:00] How the audio is routed and optimized[05:05] Acoustic treatment in the room[06:00] Webcam, monitor, and lighting overview[07:15] Lighting gear and why it's travel-friendly[08:25] Background lighting setup[09:25] Software used to control lighting[10:22] OBS setup and live scene switching[11:45] Using Riverside and production handoff[13:08] Desk setup and standing comfort[14:10] Music used and its personal connection[15:00] Using the setup for coaching callsWant to start a podcast like this one? Book your free podcast planning call here.Resources Mentioned:Shure SM7B Microphone | WebsiteElgato Low Profile Wave Mic Arm | WebsiteSennheiser IE 200 In-Ear Monitors | WebsiteRØDECaster Duo | WebsiteAmaran 100X S | WebsiteAputure Light Dome Mini III | WebsiteKeep It by Justin J. Moore and Mortiz Houwen | Spotify or AppleFind more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!Victor Nicollet is an expert in mechanical sympathy for software, focusing on how software design can better align with the hardware it runs on for smarter, faster systems.In this episode, you're going to learn what mechanical sympathy is and why understanding your hardware can massively improve software performance, how to predict when software should be optimized instead of waiting for users to feel pain, why abstraction layers can hurt performance and how to navigate escape hatches when needed, the importance of building broad but shallow systems to keep software fast and manageable, and when it makes sense to build your own tools instead of buying or using existing ones.Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction[02:00] What mechanical sympathy means for software[07:00] Building a custom language for supply chain optimization[09:00] Real-time analysis and scaling big data[11:00] When to optimize before pain shows up[13:00] Diagnosing hidden performance issues[15:00] How hardware understanding drives smarter software[17:00] Fighting abstraction layers to regain speed[20:00] Data size matters more than you think[23:00] Using smaller memory layouts for faster performance[26:00] Lossy compression vs real-time performance needs[29:00] Structuring broad but shallow systems[31:00] Using optimized black boxes the right way[34:00] Where glue code bottlenecks appear[37:00] Build vs buy decisions based on real needs[39:00] Why Lokad had to create its own data format[41:00] Storing petabytes for supply chain forecasting[44:00] Summarizing the 7-step optimization strategyResources Mentioned:Lokad | WebsiteIf you want to learn more from Victor, follow him on LinkedIn.Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!In this episode, you'll learn how the rise of citizen builders is reshaping software creation, why leadership now demands alignment over control, how to measure real impact across teams, and what it takes to scale safely in a world of AI-assisted development.Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction[02:00] Overview of the 4-part structure in this episode[02:54] Principle one: everyone can build — but can they build right?[04:53] Principle two: redefining junior vs senior in a cross-functional world[05:38] What growth actually looks like beyond technical skill[06:20] Principle three: abstraction saves time, understanding prevents disaster[07:08] AI tools vs foundational knowledge[07:47] Why elite builders accelerate others[08:39] Principle four: direction beats control[09:23] Teaching others how to make decisions[09:57] Broadcasting context until it feels repetitive[10:18] Principle five: organizational design is system design[11:03] Avoiding the productivity dip during scaling[11:36] Conway’s Law and communication-driven design[12:34] Principle six: measure velocity, not busyness[14:00] The power of aligned data visibility[14:44] Dashboards that trigger strategic pivots[15:20] Principle seven: developer experience is now your product[16:00] Builders outside engineering — even the CEO[16:36] The danger of unchecked shadow IT[17:10] What guardrails are you offering citizen builders[18:01] Principle eight: outcomes are the new OKRs[18:49] Why measuring customer activation changed everything[19:26] Shifting priorities when you focus on real outcomes[20:00] Principle nine: solve across the organization[20:43] Rethinking engineering as a business-wide competency[21:08] Empowering non-engineers to solve with softwareFind more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!Zacharias Beckman is a technology leader and creator of the Customer Obsessed Delivery Playbook.In this episode, you're going to learn what the Customer Obsessed Delivery Playbook is and why having a checklist is critical for complex software projects, how event storming and steel threads can help prevent costly surprises in software delivery, how Zac used lessons from government projects, cruise lines, and iPhone launches to shape a better approach to technical delivery, why a visual “subway map” model can make software development easier to navigate, and how to keep customer needs front and center throughout an entire project.Timestamps:[00:00] Introduction[01:57] Why software projects need a checklist approach[03:04] Mistakes early in Zac’s career that led to building a playbook[05:08] The role of structure and guardrails in complex delivery[06:04] Creativity versus consistency in engineering playbooks[07:45] Giving teams flexibility to experiment[09:55] Evolution of the playbook from large companies to startups[11:03] How startups and big companies use the playbook differently[12:58] How the playbook can uncover process gaps in existing teams[16:30] Inspiration behind using a subway map for software delivery[18:01] Problems Zac saw in government projects that sparked change[19:12] Miscommunication between customers and tech teams[20:55] How R&D uncertainty compares to building cars or bridges[22:05] How to structure checkpoints and quality gates in delivery[23:04] Why event storming is a crucial early exercise[24:09] Zac’s first experience with event storming on cruise ships[25:40] Why cruise ships are a major software engineering challenge[26:40] How event storming reveals hidden complexity[27:35] Importance of having business and tech teams in event storming[28:01] What a steel thread is and why it matters[29:12] Differences between a steel thread and an MVP[30:02] Building end-to-end scaffolding before scaling[31:05] Real-world example of a steel thread fixing a telco iPhone launch[32:33] How Lightbend proved their solution in six weeks[33:30] Why building the full system first is a mistake[34:02] What a target state architecture is[35:10] Why you need an incremental path to a target state[36:05] Risks of pulling future features into early development[36:58] Why customer needs often change during projects[37:40] How to avoid failed big bang product launches[38:00] How to keep the customer visible throughout delivery[39:05] How event storms connect to engineering artifacts[40:20] Avoiding translation errors from customer to code[41:00] Testing outputs based on original customer events[42:45] The importance of empirically measuring project outcomes[43:50] Why teams must create their own processes[44:30] How to tie product features to measurable business outcomesThe best way to connect with Zac is by subscribing to his Substack and reading his Blog.Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!In this episode, you'll learn how to win support for a tough proposal, avoid getting blindsided in meetings, use informal conversations to map your allies and blockers, and turn neutral teammates into advocates.Timestamps:  [00:00] Introduction [01:04] A failed pitch story and key lesson [02:18] The importance of having a playbook [02:55] Why great ideas get shot down [03:12] Stage 1: Test the waters [04:40] How early insights shape your pitch [05:30] Stage 2: Understand the numbers [06:00] Identify veto players and the majority needed [06:45] Plan around timing and meetings [07:30] The power of loud voices in group settings [08:10] Stage 3: Strengthen your supporters [08:50] Ask for feedback, not support [09:30] Involve people by including their suggestions [09:50] Win over key skeptics [10:20] Turning opponents into advocates [10:50] Leverage respected voices in the group [11:15] Why being heard matters more than being right [11:35] Coaching for executive communication [12:10] Why logic often loses to emotion [12:50] How storytelling wins the room [13:20] Stage 4: Engage the neutrals [13:50] Connect your idea to their priorities [14:15] Use win-win framing for middle-ground people [14:40] Avoid turning neutrals into opponents [15:00] Use social proof to tip the balance [15:30] Stage 5: Presentation and decision [16:20] Call out contributors by name [16:45] Make it feel like the next logical step [17:00] Keep the decision meeting short and smooth [17:45] How to avoid meeting debates and delays [18:00] Creating watercooler moments in remote work [18:30] How to test ideas before remote meetings [19:25] Follow-up strategy after remote conversationsFind more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.

Join The CTO Playbook Slack Community to connect with other CTOs!Andre Louca is a former CTO who became the CEO of a deep tech startup focused on AI and computer vision.  In this episode, you'll learn what it takes to move from CTO to CEO, how to set yourself up for success in the new role, what mindset shifts are needed to lead a company, and how to make tough decisions without losing trust.Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction [05:00] Understanding customer needs [07:00] Becoming the CTO of Work Analytics [09:00] Using cloud computing to accelerate processing times [11:00] Corate's IP and technology structure [13:00] Becoming the CEO of Corate [15:00] Ensuring product readiness before transitioning to CEO [17:00] Dealing with role transitions and maintaining approachability [19:00] Dealing with surprises and the learning curve of being CEO [21:00] Learning from sales and marketing experts [23:00] Transitioning skills from CTO to CEO [25:00] Setting and achieving continuous goals [27:00] Using short-term goals to drive energy and performance [29:00] Celebrating milestones with the team [31:00] Importance of analyzing decisions analytically [33:00] Making difficult decisions with a rational approach [35:00] Balancing technical leadership and business leadership [37:00] Networking and relationship-building with the board [39:00] Gaining trust from non-technical board members [41:00] Importance of delivering results and building credibility [43:00] Coaching and accepting help from others [45:00] Focusing on the business, not just technologyTo learn more from Andre, connect with him on LinkedIn.Find more from Adam on LinkedIn and YouTube, and check out Adam's CTO coaching company Synova Tech.